gourami question....

kooter

AquaMan
Dec 14, 2003
701
13
18
Mission, BC
I was just curious if anyone knows what the "antennae" strands on the gouramis are used for? I have 2 sunset gouramis and they seem to feel around with them, any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers....
 
Just that. They're feelers. They are modified fins. They use them to feel their surroundings and sometimes to ward off other fish. They are basically like a cats whiskers (highly sensory) but fins instead. I remember reading something that suggested that they also had 'taste' sensors in them....but I don't know the truth of that part.
 
thanks for the info... on the topic of gouramis, is there a difference between honey gouramis and sunset gouramis or are they the same but different places call them different names?
 
AquariaCentral.com